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New Braunfels Herald Zeitung (Newspaper) - January 31, 2004, New Braunfels, Texas
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Zeitung
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Canyon boys and girls soccer teams both manage to keep opponent Wimberley scoreless. Page SA
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COUPONS 'SUPER' SAVINGS
Super Bowl party at Los Cucos offers half-price appetizers; Rhoads Flooring Super Bowl sales offers 25 percent off flooring. Inside
Serving New Braunfels and Comal County since 1852.
Vol. 153. No. 70 14 pages, 2 sections
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FRONTand Center
Girl, 7, struck by car after stepping off bus
Annexation plan to get a couple of revisions
By Scott Mahon
Staff Writer
The New Braunfels Planning Commission, which began its annual annexation process in January, meets Tuesday to refine its recommendations to city council.
Frank Robbins, director of planning and community development, said Tuesday’s meeting would include talk of annexing approximately 2,500 acres adjacent to the airport, the 1,500-acre Word Ranch off Loop 337 and almost 3,000 acres of vacant land off FM 306 north of New Braunfels.
“The planning staff will point out some adjustments to our initial recommendations," Robbins said. “We ll also spend some time discussing zoning adjacent to the airport.”
Robbins said land adjacent to the municipal airport needs to be protected from residential development.
“We don’t believe residential zoning is appropriate usage near the airport,” he said, “simply because of the noise. We don’t want people living adjacent to the airport, because eventually they would complain about the noise."
According to Robbins, the best use of land adjacent to the airport would be commercial and industrial businesses related to the aircraft industry.
“We’re trying to take the long-term view," he said.
However, longtime farming families in the area have expressed their concern for years regarding the possible annexation of their farm lands.
"I understand their concern," Robbins said. “Annexation would mean city taxes and a change in land use, but I think agri-cultural use of the land near the airport is not a detriment to airport operations, and in fact is very common around many airports."
Marvin Westmeyer, who owns a farm adjacent to the airport, told the commission in January his great-grandfather purchased farmland in Comal County in the 1860s.
See ANNEXATION. Page 2A
By Ron Maloney
Staff Writer
SA hospital lists first-grader in critical condition
A 7-year-old girl was injured Friday when she was snuck by a car and dragged 80 feet after getting off a school bus.
Officials said the girl, a Goodwin Primary School first-grader whose name was not released, suffered major upper-body injuries and possible head injuries. She did not regain consciousness at the scene before she was flown to University I Iospital. She was breathing on her own, and a plastic tube was placed in her throat to keep her airway open.
University I iospital spokeswoman beni Kirkman said Friday night the girl was in critical condition.
“I’ve spoken with the family. They would appreciate all the prayers of the community," Kirkman said.
New Braunfels police Sgt. Mike Rutherford said the accident occurred about 3:15 p.m. when a Comal Independent School District bus with about 65 kindergarten through sixth-grade students on board stopped to let off passengers in the 500 block ofVentura Drive behind I Iome Depot.
“A 1991 Toyota four-door driven by an 18-year-old New Braunfels woman turned left off the 1800 block of Valero Drive,” Rutherford said. “She struck a 7-year-old child who had just gotten off the bus."
The child had just stepped in front of the bus, Rutherford said. Preliminary investigation casts no blame on die school district.
“All indications are that the bus lights were on and functioning normally, and the stop sign was out from the driver’s side of the bus," Rutherford said.
The driver of the Toyota was taken to McKenna Memorial I Iospital for examination, Rutherford said. Alcohol and drugs were not believed to be involved in the accident.
The driver’s name was not released pending the outcome of the investigation. Rutherford said he believed charges
See GIRL. Page 2A
Photos by REBECCA S. ROGERS/Herald Zeitung
(Above) Crystal Carrillo, center, comforts Alexis Carrillo after an accident seriously injured Alexis' neighbor and friend. A 7-year-old Goodwin Primary School student was run over while crossing the road after getting off the school bus Friday afternoon. Josie Machuca, in back, pulled the child from beneath the car. (Left) New Braunfels police Cpl. Lorenzo Mireles surveys the scene of Friday's accident. (Top) The victim's backpack, with her school books and stuffed teddy bear, sits in the road at the accident scene in the 500 block Ventura Drive, in a subdivision off FM 1101 behind Home Depot.
Retired?
Unable to stand the idleness of retirement, former county commissioner Moe Schwab builds a bed and breakfast.
RECENT
EXPANSIONS
Technology
■ CT Scanner
■ nuclear medicine camera
■ digital mammography upgrade
■ bone densitometry equipment
Facilities
■ Outpatient Imaging Center
■ dining room and kitchen renovation
■ The McKenna Club construction completed
■ Outreach center in former H-E-B building
McKenna set to open specialty center
By Dylan Jimdnez
Staff Writer
Af ter final inspections this week, the McKenna Specialty Center should be close to taking patients in mid-February.
The center is one of the final pieces in a major expansion of McKenna I lealth System’s facilities.
The $2.3 million facility has been constructed out of the 11,500 square-feet ground floor of the McKenna Ambulatory Surgical Center, which used to be staff parking.
When the building was built on Garza Street across from McKenna Memorial Hospital almost a
decade ago, the bottom floor was left open in anticipation of a Alture expansion.
“As we became busier and busier with outpatient surgery, we felt the need to expand," said Jennifer Malatek, chief operating officer.
The new specialty facility is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, said Martha Stone, director of surgery services.
The new facility will have two operating rooms, two endoscopy procedure rooms, three recovery room bays and nine pre-operation bays. There also will be a waiting area with complimentary coffee.
Hie new center will be used for
colonoscopies and gastrointestinal exams, cataract surgery, cornea transplants, eye laser procedures, pain management procedures, oilier surgical procedures and IV and infusion therapy.
The new facility will help McKenna provide more services from a growing pool of local doctors.
"We have new surgeons coming into the market that we have to account for," said Karl I tittle, chief of professional services.
The community has a need for plastic surgeries and other services, Malatek said.
T hree new staff positions will
See MCKINNA. Page 2A
DAVID INGRAM/Uwrdld Zeitung
Jerry Paniagua, left, explains the new nurse calling system to RN Steve Foster and Director of Pre/Post-Op Patient Ambulatory Care Unit Rhonda Doolittle in the new specialty center located across the street from McKenna Hospital
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